Regional Passport Office (RPO) Chandigarh, catering to Chandigarh, 12 districts of Punjab, and 12 districts of Haryana, has undertaken significant steps to enhance its grievance redressal mechanisms.
Regional Passport Officer Smt. Priyanka Mehtani emphasized the office's commitment to providing efficient and transparent services. "Our goal is to ensure that every applicant receives timely and hassle-free service. Processing an average of 4865 passport applications daily, we witnessed a total of 8,42,375 passports being granted in the previous financial year. With real-time updates on application statuses available on passportindia.gov.in, over 98% of applications were processed on the same day, and passports dispatched within a week." she stated.
Since January 2024, a walk-in application status facility has been introduced, allowing applicants to personally inquire about their application status. Additionally, queries are accepted via registered post, email, and social media platforms like Twitter, catering to applicants from remote areas.
Adopting a 'first in, first out' approach and maintaining a flat structure, where all staff members handle files regardless of hierarchy, has increased the office's handling capacity. From 80 enquiry appointments in 2023 to managing 300 appointments and walk-ins currently, the RPO Chandigarh's grievance redressal mechanisms have garnered appreciation from the public.
A recipient, who chose not to reveal her identity, commented on the efficient passport issuance process at the Chandigarh RPO. She mentioned that on the evening of her appointment date at the PSK, she received a call from the local police station for verification. Within 10 days of her appointment, she received her passport. She noted that while there was a considerable crowd outside the PSK, it was due to the large number of applicants and some not adhering to their appointment times for which passport office in not at fault.